" This is the catch phrase of The Thing, but for the host it is a cold frightening end. The Thing, written by Alan Dean Foster in 1982, was meant to terrify its readers. However, when one delves deeper into the story there is a more profound lesson to be learned. Trust is an essential emotion for a happy productive life.
The Thing takes place at an American scientific research center in the frozen wastelands of the Antarctic. The American scientists witness a Norwegian helicopter accidentally explode as the seemingly mad Norwegians are shooting at a husky. The Norwegians are killed, leaving no explanation for the chase. During the night, as the scientists look on in shock, the husky mutates and attacks the other dogs in the camp. The team soon realizes that a bizarre alien life form has found its way into their midst. In the coming days, more pieces of the riddle are uncovered. Centuries ago, an alien spaceship had crash-landed in the Antarctic. The pilot was thrown clear and ultimately froze in the ice. The creature was eventually uncovered 100,000 years later by the group of dead Norwegian scientists. They thaw the creature out. It comes to life and proves to be extremely hostile. It has the ability to alter its own cell structure to that of a consumed organism, and thus imitate the victim almost perfectly. The twelve men of US Outpost 31 stand between the alien and total infection of the planet. They needed to find a way to destroy the creature and prevent it from reaching civilization. The only problem is, can they trust each other when there is no guarantee the next man is human? The Thing wastes no time consuming the scientists one by one. When a helicopter pilot named R.J. MacReady finally realizes that everyone WILL die, he knows that they must do whatever they can to stop it from reaching civilization. Only two of the original twelve men survive and destroy The Thing. As these two men wait for rescuers, they know that help will never reach them in time.